


A Change of Season

by B_does_the_write_thing



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dark Castle, F/M, Fluff fest, Magic Gone Wrong, this is why you two need to learn how to communicate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 04:15:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2799194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_does_the_write_thing/pseuds/B_does_the_write_thing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumplestiltskin's first attempt to make his little maid smile ends up creating misunderstandings and resentments. His second attempt brings better results.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Change of Season

**Author's Note:**

> A Rumble Secret Santa present to the lovely bluehairbelle - long may she reign. 
> 
> Beta Credit to the ever lovely Prissy Halliwell. 
> 
> Now, onto the fluff.

Belle quickly discovered life at the Dark Castle to be surprisingly boring.

In all honesty, apart from the occasional “guest” or a new acquisition to the already numerous accursed objects that served as decoration, the castle tended to be a rather quiet place.

Belle’s daily routine rarely varied. She awoke every morning sometime after sunrise to find the morning meal ready to be served in the kitchen. Her master would sometimes appear to break his fast but he mostly remained absent.

The rest of the morning Belle would go about her chores. Which were incredibly easy considering the Dark Castle was a sprawling place full of twists and turns and hidden passages galore. And yet through no effort of her own, everything was always perfectly dusted. The floors once swept stayed spotless and meals were always prepared without her having to touch a pot or pan.

In short, the Dark Castle had absolutely no need for its maid. However, it did graciously allow her to clean up after their master. To fill her mornings, Belle spent her time checking his study, laboratory and sitting room to see what new mess he had concocted.

The Dark One was not a tidy man.

Books usually were spilling off shelves, parchment would be scattered on the floor covered with boot prints, empty bottles and caked cauldrons were left out for her to soak. Plus, there were always half empty teacups left in the oddest of places.

When the sun was directly overhead, Belle would descend to the kitchen where lunch awaited her. Wheeling it to main hall, Belle often found the Dark One at his wheel spinning away.

After lunch, he would go back to his spinning unless a pressing matter called him back to his workspaces. Belle often took this quiet time to settle into her favorite spot to read for a while- often dozing off in the sunlight shining through the ripped curtain. It was the only window beside her own chambers that let in any natural sunlight and Belle loved watching the outside world through the glass panes.

They would take tea sometime in the later afternoon, a ritual her master never missed no matter his busy schedule. They would sit and discuss the book she had been reading or the place he had just traveled to in his dealings. The only taboo topic seemed to be their past. It was an understood agreement between the two.

When the sun started to dip down into the horizon, the main hall would start to fall into shadow. Lights would flare to life and Belle would go about preparing for dinner. The Dark One often skipped this as well, being seemingly restless under the moon’s influence and often disappearing from the castle entirely during this time.

Not being at ease in the dark labyrinth of stone by herself, Belle’s routine often found her going to own chambers after her evening meal. She would continue to read in her sitting room until she retired for the evening.

And so the days went.

 

Until the day, Belle realized something.

“Rumplestiltksin?”

An unexpected clatter made her turn to find the Dark One oddly flustered. His hands tried to steady the stool, which he had knocked over at her unanticipated breach of the usually quiet afternoon hours between lunch and tea.

“Sorry,” Belle apologized, holding back an amused grin. “I just realized…well, I guess it’s silly but-”

“Spit it out, dearie,” he grumbled. He twitched his nose at her, hands slightly fiddling in the folds of his large sleeves.

“I’ve never been…” She started. But her words faltered as she realized how entitled she was about to sound.

He simply stared at her, an eyebrow arching upwards in silent question.

“What’s it like outside?”

He stared at her, brow furrowing in response.

“What I mean is-. I’ve just -I’ve never been outside- and I’m not sure where we are exactly and I suppose the temperature may change but… I wouldn’t know since…“

“Do you want to go outside?” He sneered. He crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the nearby table. “Is that what you’re trying to get at?”

“No,” Belle replied archly. “Although it would be nice if you trusted me enough to walk amongst the garden. I just was curious- is this really what it’s like outside? Or are the windows enchanted? I suppose it could-“

The Dark One gasped with his trademark dramatics, interrupting her neatly. “If you want to go outside, all you have to do is ask.”

“Noted,” Belle nodded. “Perhaps I will tomorrow.”

“Then, that’s settled.”

Or so they thought.

 

The next day, Belle hurried through her morning chores. She threw a few books into their right places, tossed a few dishes into the sink to soak and hurried back upstairs to grab the traveling cloak that had appeared in her chambers the previous evening.

It was a gorgeous thick brocade of blue and gold with a spacious hood for inclement weather. Belle threw it about her shoulders, idly worrying she may ruin her slippers but too intent on the new freedom waiting just beyond the door.

It was a beautiful day outside, just warm enough in the sun to be pleasant but cool enough in the shade for her to need her cloak. Belle spent the entire afternoon outside exploring the grounds. She completely missed lunch and tea and only remembered to go into for dinner when the sun began to set on her explorations.

Which is when she discovered a very irritated Dark One waiting for her in the Main Hall.

“You’re late,” he snipped as she rolled the dinner cart in from the kitchen.

“Sorry,” Belle trilled blissfully. She was light headed and slightly sunburned from her day. “Your grounds are beautiful. Why, the gardens must go for miles! And the orchard- I didn’t know you had apple trees!”

He stared up at her in a loss for words as she happily chattered on about her discoveries as she set the table for their meal. He barely got a word in edgewise that evening as Belle talked about everything from the flowers she discovered to the greenhouse he had never told her about.

She told him about her youth spent reading outdoors and traveling the lands with her father. How she had learned some farming tricks from the local farmers and how she had read nearly every book on agriculture she could find before they had gone back to the farmlands the following year.

All the while, Rumplestiltksin listened to her in silent awe. He was vaguely unsure why her happiness was so pleasing to him but it was. As they parted ways that evening, he went back to his tower where he spent the evening deep in spell work. 

For if Belle wished to explore the grounds, he would make sure every day was suitable for her whims.

And so, it came to pass that the Dark Castle was blessed with eternal spring. It would never rain nor snow. The fauna would find their roots always perfectly watered without muddy trails or rain logged skies.

The price for this statis charm was a simple thing- a few drops of blood from his oldest enemy was easily drawn from the preserved hand of the pirate Hook and so he ensured Belle perfect weather for all her days.

 

Six months later, Belle was utterly sick of the weather.

Sitting in her spot by the open window, she stared morosely outside at the spring breeze blowing across the lawn. Her book lay half forgotten in her lap as the low sound of her master’s spinning whispered faintly in her ears.

She must have released a sigh for suddenly the spinning ceased. She glanced up to find the Dark One standing beside her.

“What are you doing?” He questioned as if he was at a loss. 

“Oh, reading,” Belle gestured to the book in her lap before meeting his eyes again. She tried to restrain the fond smile that threatened to peek out at him as he gazed at her in obvious concern.

“You’re unhappy,” Rumplestiltksin determined. He was careful to stand slightly away from her, respecting her space. She shook her head, trying to chase away the dark cloud that was hovering over her head.

“No,” Belle assured him, reaching out to take his hand. He looked down in some wonder at their joined grip, eyes roaming over the entwined fingers. Belle squeezed slightly, trying to reassure him. “I’m afraid I’m just a bit moody lately.” 

His golden eyes looked uncertain for a moment before they brightened as he suggested, “Perhaps a walk?”

Belle sighed, releasing his hand as she stood. “Another time perhaps,” she mumbled, brushing past him. “I’ll bring you your tea and then I think I may retire for the day if it pleases you.”

“You needn’t worry about tea,” he shook his long curls.

“But-“ Belle felt a dip in her stomach at his dismissal. Their teatime was the one thing she looked forward in the dark halls of her servitude. It was the one time she felt she had a place in these halls. A purpose and even a friend in the man who thought he was a monster. 

He turned to her, but Rumpelstiltskin was gone. The Dark One was staring at her now, lip curled and eyes bright with mockery. “Run along, dearie,” he quipped. “Wouldn’t want you to be too tired to clean the entrance hall tomorrow. “ He giggled at this.

Dejected, Belle nodded and headed up to her room, tears prickling her eyes for no good reason.

 

Weeks passed in the Dark Castle with this strained mood overhead. Belle found the Dark Castle provided more and more chores for her to complete which she gladly threw her whole self into.

The weather outside remained the same- sunny and bright. And Belle’s mood darkened. She started avoiding her reading spot, even drawing the curtains shut in her room.

Her master’s mood reflected her own. The two unknowingly fed off each other and infected the whole castle with their negative spiral. They stopped taking lunch together and tea became a strained event where they both sat at opposite ends of the table, drinking quickly in order to escape back to their own dark moods.

 

Who knows what would have come of this misunderstanding had the Dark Castle not intervened.

After close to two months of her moods and her master’s evil temper, Belle had decided she had a touch of cabin fever. This was a term she had discovered in a nautical book she found oddly enough in the kitchen. Apparently, the best cure involved changing one’s surroundings (impossible considering her circumstances) or tricking one’s self into believing the surroundings had changed.

In her doldrums, Belle ceased her daily exploration of the Dark Castle. She never went outside much anymore as she was too annoyed by the same tell tale breeze and the usual three clouds spun up in the sky like paintings.

These days, the only time Belle ever cared to look out the window was at the still changing night sky. Which was why she had come up with a plan.

And so, Belle decided to take a midnight stroll in the gardens under the starlight.

 

That evening, long after the dinner dishes had been soaked and put away, Belle sat eagerly in her rooms, staring through the window until the moon peaked through the clouds illuminating the earth below.

Belle leapt from her seat, throwing her cloak about her shoulders and rushing out her door. She couldn’t help the heady smile that illuminated her face as she cracked the back door of the kitchens open.

For the first time in weeks, she felt the wind gust across her face. It felt utterly different than the stagnant air of the daytime, which felt like bottled breath on her skin. 

Belle stepped out of the shadows of the Castle, heading along the wooded path towards the garden. She was halfway down the forest trail when she heard the first howl. 

Stumbling to a stop, she froze as her ears rang with the dying sound. For a moment, she fancied she had imagined it. But then a second joined the call, and a third followed in an eerie chorus. 

He had promised her use of the grounds, Belle thought desperately as she slowly backed up across the gravel path. And she had never seen nor heard any proof of animal life in her time here but-

A low growling emanated from just behind her. The cloak’s hood made it impossible for her to turn her head to look but the sound was unmistakably that of a wolf. Belle’s eyes fluttered shut as her body tensed, listening desperately for the rest of the pack. 

A twig crunched to her left and Belle flung herself down as a wolf jumped from the bushes. Scrambling to her right, Belle rolled her back against the nearest tree along the path. Her cloak’s hood fell from her curls as Belle gasped in horror at the sight of the pack slowly encircling her.

They were large beasts, larger than those she had seen before. Their eyes were shining bright with the full moon overhead. Their faces held intelligence and awareness that bordered on human. But their fangs dripped with salvia as their lips curled back in snarls. 

A large male padded into the center of the pack. His silver fur was raised in patches around his haunches as he grinned at her through a growl. He watched her for a moment before leaping forward with the victorious cry of the hunter. 

Belle threw her arm over her face, bringing her cloak around her as if it could protect her from fangs and claws.

Which oddly seemed to work. 

Confused, Belle lowered her cloak cautiously; one eye still clenched shut as the other peeked open. She found herself sitting in the main hall of the Dark Castle in her usual chair, twigs still tangled in her hair and mud splattering the bottom of her cloak. 

“Ah, ah dearie,” giggled a voice from the shadows by the mantle. “Trying to run away were we?” 

“No, I-“ Belle started, blinking in disbelief at her surroundings. 

“Breaking a deal has consequences, you know,” came the high-pitched tenor of the Dark One. He stepped into the light of the fire, scaled skin glittering at her in its coldness. The adrenaline from her brush with death still skidded through her veins and Belle found herself leaping from the chair. 

The next moment found her wrapping her arms around him, pining his arms to his side. He sputtered for a moment before stilling. One hand cautiously rose behind her back as if to touch her but he seemed to reconsider the gesture and it fell away.

“Thank you,” Belle enthused, mumbling into his chest. “You saved me.” 

“Well,” he replied awkwardly, avoiding her face as she turned it up to look into his. “It’s nearly impossible to find a good maid these days…” 

Belle released him, stepping back. He kept his eyes averted from hers, focusing on the hem of her dress which was ruined. “I wasn’t running away,” Belle explained. “I just wanted to walk in the garden-“ 

He scoffed at that. “You haven’t been outside these past few months. You think I believe you just fancied an evening stroll under the full moon? I wasn’t born yesterday, dearie.”

Belle shook her head, sighing heavily. “It’s just- the grounds during the day are…stifling.” 

He jerked his head at this, catching her eye for the first time in months. Belle felt a rush of pleasure at the soft confusion in their depths, a spark of concern she had thought lost in him. 

“But…,” he said softly, shaking his head. “I made sure you would have such lovely weather.”

Belle looked at him with some confusion before it suddenly clicked: He had bottled the perfect day for her pleasure. And instead of her enjoying it, the monotony of it all had driven her crazy. 

She felt laughter bubbling up in her throat at the irony. Belle tried desperately to contain it but it spilled out of her in wave after wave. Her shock from earlier seemed to push her into hysterics as she leaned against the table to steady herself through the laughter and tears.

“You- oh, of course you did, you darling man!” Belle laughed, clutching her side. Rumplestiltksin stood still, a frown of embarrassment darkening his features. “And all this time- I just thought-“ 

“Anytime you’d like to share,” he snapped, trying and failing not to sound peeved. 

“You made the weather the same everyday?” Belle asked, wiping away tears of laughter from her eyes. “A warm spring day with a breeze?”

“Perhaps,” Rumplestiltksin warily replied, watching her closely. 

“For me?” Belle pressed, moving closer to him in the firelight. 

“Of course not,” he snapped, bristling. But Belle knew her master’s moods. She saw the discomfiture in the tuck of his chin. She opted to spare him any further embarrassment. 

“I’m afraid my moods these past few weeks have been out of a growing discomfort. I felt something… wrong in the air outside but I couldn’t quite place it. The air felt stale, used outside and the sun wasn’t warm but stifling so I took to avoiding it. But then I started getting restless in the castle! I’m sorry, I should have said something,” Belle explained. “I just didn’t realize magic was involved. I thought it was simply the way life was here.” 

A silence fell between them at that. Her master made no move to show he had heard. After a moment, Belle cleared her throat. “I am sorry for this evening’s mishap. Thank you for saving me from those beasts. I believe I’m going to go clean up and retire for the evening.” He didn’t say a word, still looking at his feet as if they were going to start talking next. Belle felt the words leave her mouth before her mind had realized what she was asking, “ Will I see you at lunch tomorrow?” 

His head snapped up at this. His eyes met hers as if to search for truth that she wanted him to join her once more. He found her shining blue eyes, bright with laughter and warm with affection, and nodded hesitatingly. 

“Goodnight, Rumplestiltksin,” she said softly, offering a small curtsey before turning and heading to bed. 

“Belle.” 

She paused, turning with a pleasantly surprised face. He was looking away from her, eyes fixed on the spot she had been standing a moment ago. 

“Yes, Rumple?” She asked breathlessly. 

“Ah,” he mumbled, clearing his throat brusquely. “What weather might you prefer?” 

Belle felt her heart flutter in her chest as she gazed at the man backed by firelight. “I’m partial to autumn days,” she found herself sharing. “The crisp scent of winter in the air but the warmth of summer lingering in the ground.” 

He nodded and Belle turned to leave. She stilled at the edge of the doorway, adding, “I’m also fond of snow,” before she disappeared leaving a sorcerer to his musings.

 

Rumplestiltksin would later tell her that he had just meant to break the statis spell that sucked up much too much magic anyways.

He had not gone upstairs to his tower to change the weather to an autumn day just because she had said it was her favorite. 

That was ridiculous. 

And yet, when he left the tower, the leaves on the ground were already changing to the reds and oranges of the harvest season. 

But all magic comes with a price. 

And so, the first snowflake fell from the swirling clouds gathering quickly over the Dark Castle.

And then came the rest.

 

“Rumplestiltksin!” 

Turning, the sorcerer found himself staring in some confusion as his maid came running down the hall straight for him.

“What in the name of-“ he started but just Belle began to slow to a halt, she tripped on a rug corner and went sprawling face first towards the carpet.

Except of course, he caught her. Rumplestiltksin was well accustomed to his maid’s clumsiness.

“Thank you!” Belle exhaled breathlessly. He straightened her, dusting his hands off as if to rub the memory of her touch off. She tried not to feel a stab of disappointment at this.

“Oh!” She exclaimed, remembering why she had been running to find him. “You must come see outside!” She grabbed his hand and started to tow him towards the great hall.

He let her drag him from his study, secretly pleased that his little magic had already brought his maid’s mood back to the shining, babbling woman who was much easier to deal with than the sulking, silent maid. 

Entering the main hall, Belle dropped his hand, gesturing with uncontained joy at the window across the way. Barely glancing at his handiwork, Rumplestiltksin shrugged dramatically, playing innocent. 

“Whatever is it, dearie? Is there some handsome knight here to save you from the beast?” 

Belle tsked at him, smiling despite it. “You did this?” She asked. “For me?” 

Rumplestiltksin opened his mouth to dismiss her completely unfounded presumptions when his eyes caught the glinting, shining light bouncing into the room from the window. 

He took a few steps forward so he could see clearly out of the large full window and his jaw fell open in wordless shock. 

“I love it!” Belle was saying at his side, fingers clasped tightly together over her chest. But he wasn’t really paying attention because his entire grounds were covered in snow and ice.

He had brought winter to the Dark Castle.

 

“I don’t see what the big deal is,” Belle said with a touch of irritation in her voice. “Its just snow!” 

“Just snow!” Rumplestiltksin mocked, shoulders hunched. “It’s up to your knees out there!” 

“Maybe the garden lake is frozen over too!” Belle added, completely missing his point. She pulled her cloak tight around her. He frowned at her but she ignored him, heading towards the large entrance hall doors in a fog of delight. 

With a sigh, he snapped his fingers at her. A cloud of smoke surrounded her feet and moved steadily upwards as she hurried forward. By the time she gained the door, Belle’s shoes were heavy fur lined boots, her dress consisted of a heavier material, her fingers were enclosed in a muff and her cloak was lined with fur. 

Belle looked down at herself in surprise. She turned to smile at him but frowned when she found him still in the dark depths of the entrance hall. 

“Come on!” Belle called, tapping her foot. 

“I said, no,” He repeated, arms crossing over his chest. Belle twisted her lips and narrowed her eyes, crossing her own arms over her chest.

 

He would later tell her he had just gone along with it in case she fell into a snowdrift or got lost in the white wonderland. 

He had not gone outside with her because she had looked so beautiful standing in the open doorway with sunlight beaming around her. 

He had not gone outside with her because her nose turned red at the tip and her eyes shone like sapphires. 

He had not gone outside because she had used the new pet name for him she had taken to using when she forgot herself.

And now, he found himself standing awkwardly beside her as she walked lightly through the snowfall. She was talking animatedly about something to do with traditions but he wasn’t listening carefully. His mind was far off with the Evil Queen and her feud with the young princess Snow White when a sudden cold wet object hit his chest with a THUMP.

Looking down in some incredulity, Rumplestiltksin found his leather jacket coated in snow. A muffled laugh alerted him to his maid who was holding another snowball in her gloved hand, a challenging grin upon her lips.

“Well, well,” he remarked, dusting the snow off his front. “I do hope you said your last words, dearie.”

But before he could say another word, Belle launched the snowball, hitting him in the arm before ducking behind the nearest tree.

With a snap of his fingers, the Dark One conjured a gigantic snowball, holding it above him and waiting for Belle to peek out from behind the tree to launch it at her. He was already grinning at the look on her face when she would see it. He had no intention of actually hitting her with it- he’d explode it when it was inches from her- just coating her in snow.

But Belle was quicker than he gave her credit for- just as he glanced up to check it’s projection, his maid twisted around the tree, lobbing a ball right at his head. It hit dead center, breaking his concentration and causing his snow boulder to fall on top of his head.

“Rumple!” Belle shouted, laughter coloring the edges of her worry. “Oh, are you all right?”

It was worth it, he thought hazily as she brushed snow from his grey hair. The feeling of her warm gloved fingers tracing his cheek was enough to make any humiliation worth it.

 

Snow continued to fall but Rumplestiltksin could not bring himself to care. As they walked the grounds, he could barely keep his eyes off the vivacious brunette. She seemed more alive than he had ever seen her. 

She pulled him along the garden path, eyes wide with delight at the icicles hanging from the hedges. She dropped onto her back to make snow fairies, laughing breathlessly as she stood up shaking with the cold. 

And all the while, he followed her. Half in awe of the spell he had inadvertently ensnared himself with and half in awe that every time he hung back, she turned searching for him to experience the new wonder she had just discovered.

 

When they stumbled upon the pond, it was frozen solid. 

Belle was already half way to the ice when he found his voice. “Dearie,” he cleared his throat. “Not sure that’s the wisest decision.” 

“Oh but Rumple!” She turned her smile at him as she laughed. “Haven’t you ever gone ice skating?” 

“Before your time,” he answered, scrunching his nose at the memory. It had too much to do with another brunette woman smiling at him from the shore of a lake. It was not a memory he cared to remember. 

“Well, then you have plenty of practice,” his maid sassed. She carefully stepped out on the ice, testing its hold. After a few steps, she suddenly slipped, wind milling wildly to try and keep her balance. 

Of course he didn’t think. He materialized to her side in an instant. He grasped her arm, pulling her upright. However, his sudden weight on the ice was too much for the still thin ice to handle. She met his eyes with a fearful understanding. 

With a sickling crack, the black water of the garden lake swallowed the two. Rumplestiltksin secured his grip on his maid’s arm. The sight of her wide scared blue eyes still seared in his mind. His other hand went to summon his magic to their aid. 

A moment later, the Dark One was clutching his shaking servant at the shore of the lake. The young woman was gasping for breath, soaked and bedraggled. 

“Ru-Ru-Rumple,” she stammered, trying to free her arms from her drenched cloak. 

“Belle,” His hands were rubbing her arms through her cloak. His eyes were wild with his overwhelming distress. She attempted to smile to soothe him but another shiver shook her body. 

“How-How are you dry?” Belle managed to ask, pressing closer to his warmth. The north wind that had been blowing all day was gathering strength. Now, it cut straight through her. 

He looked down at himself, blinking in confusion. His leather skins and heavy coat were bone dry. His boots were crunching in the snow but the impervious spell he had placed on himself after their snowball fight seemed to have stayed in place. 

“Magic dearie,” he confessed. He aimed a warming spell at her. A shadow fell across his face as her hair and clothes magically dried but she continued to shake. 

“Helpful,” Belle said with clenched teeth. 

He ignored her stab at humor, looking up at the castle looming in the near distance. “We need to get you warm. I have a charm on the grounds so no one can materialize in or out of the castle proper but I can get us to the door.” 

“That would be nice,” Belle replied, pressing her body into his. His heart did an odd sort of jump at the feel of her pressed against him but her shivering was alarming. 

Within a minute, they were stumbling into the castle’s hall. Belle was trying to stop her shivering but failing. The shock of her chilly plummet and her day spent out in the cold had drained her of her color and energy.

“This way,” Rumplestiltksin said, helping her along.

 

They ended up in his private study. He started a roaring fire the second they stepped in the room with a simple point of his clawed finger. He let Belle sink gratefully down to the rug in front of the fire before summoning a blanket to drape around her shoulders as she removed her cloak.

“Thank you,” Belle replied, reaching up to clasp his hand as he arranged the blanket around her. “For today.”

“For nearly killing you?” He asked, furious at himself. He tried to remove his hand from her grip but she held fast. 

“For spending it with me.” 

He stilled, looking down at her in uncertainty. She tugged half-heartedly but he allowed the pull to bring him to his knees beside her. 

“We missed tea today,” she replied shyly. “Perhaps we could have some with our dinner?”

The Dark One had planned to go off in search of the princeling that was causing so much trouble along King Midas’s lands. But he found himself nodding absently, lost in the depths of her smile. 

“Spiced?” He suggested. Another memory of a young boy curled in his side after a long day at the market came to mind. The boy was tired but happily cradling a cup of spiced tea that a trader had exchanged for some silk thread. Rumplestiltksin pushed it out of his mind as Belle gasped in excitement. 

“With honey?” 

And barely had he nodded when a meal appeared in front of them. It was complete with a full tea tray and a small bottle of spirits. 

They spent the meal discussing their day in the snow. As they finished, Belle started to chatter about the book she was currently reading while he simply sat and listened, clawed hands curled contently around his warm cup. 

“Rumple?” Belle asked after a while, leaning on her elbow and staring dreamily into the fire. “Do you think you could summon my book for me?” She turned to him with a guilty grimace. “I’m afraid I’m far too comfortable to get up.” 

Nodding wordlessly, he internally thrilled at her confession. She was close enough for him to smell her scent on his clothes already and he had been dreading her departure for bed. 

With a wave of his hand, he plucked the requested book from the air, handing to her with a flourish. She laughed as she reached out for it, her hand brushing his lightly as she claimed it for her own. 

“Have you read it?” She sighed, cracking the spine open tenderly. He could smell the peppermint spirit on her breath as he leaned in closer to hear her. 

“Once,” he shrugged. “Don’t recall it.”

Belle’s eyes were already rushing over the pages, her mouth moving in wordless sync with the words she was reading. He felt his heart shudder helplessly as his eyes feasted on her lips. 

“Could you-“ He paused, uncertainty and doubt choking him. “Read it aloud?”

Had Rumplestiltksin known the way her face would have lit up like the sun at such a simple request, he would have done it months ago. 

As he curled closer to her, scooting his legs so her feet would be ensconced in his warmth, neither of them noticed the snow that had began to fall again in earnest outside the window.

They were too wrapped up in each other.


End file.
